Nurses picket at JFK Memorial Hospital against staffing, pay and training conditions
Athena Jreij
INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) — Tenet nurses at JFK Memorial Hospital say they’re facing inadequate staffing, training and pay, pushing them to the picket line Wednesday.
Wednesday evening, registered nurses with the SEIU 121 union plan to host an informational picket at JFK Memorial Hospital protesting conditions they say have caused low staff morale, with many looking elsewhere for their future careers. To be clear, this is not a strike and there has been no work stoppage.
“Work life balance is an issue with some nurses on call up to 15 days or more. We have a lot of turnover and a lot of our nurses are leaving JFK to go over to desert for higher wages,” Tracy Pryor, an operating nurse of 28 years said.
Some of the union’s concerns are similar to those echoed by CNA nurses at the Tenet-operated Desert Regional Medical Center, who also called for safer staffing and more robust training.
According to Pryor, new college graduates are receiving half the training they did prior to the pandemic, with orientation decreasing from 12 to 6 weeks.
“You know the bookwork when you graduate, you have done some clinical assignments. To pull that into the real work space is what really matters,” Pryor said.
She also believes higher wages at nearby hospitals are increasing turnover among seasoned nurses. Pryor believes JFK Memorial may receive lower wages because it is a level four trauma center, compared to Desert Regional Medical Center’s level one standing.
News Channel 3 reached out to Tenet Health for their side of the story and were provided a statement:
“As always, we are committed to delivering safe, high quality care and an exceptional patient experience for the community we serve, as well as a positive work environment for our employees. We are currently involved in bargaining with the union and will continue to negotiate in good faith in hopes of reaching a successful contract. We are open for all services.”
Union organizers also hope the picket will renew negotiations at the bargaining table.
Stick with News Channel 3 as we continue to follow this story.